Page 46 of The Dark Elf's Secret Baby

Just breathe.

“Especially if you want to do something more with your life,” he continues. “If you moved on, you could find a mate. When are you going to take your career seriously? When are you going to get a mate and finally make the family proud?”

“Father, Kerym just got home. Let him breathe. Tell us, how was it living on a tropical island? I bet it was paradise,” Salnath speaks up, intervening on my behalf.

Gods above. I don’t need my brother to save me. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I can’t stand being in this family. Everyone is always acting, playing their role, playing their part.

I realize that I’m done with this. Fuck it. I don’t want to play my part anymore. I know what I want and it’s not to live the picture perfect life of my brother or my dad.

I want Layla. And Jasper. They are the most important people in the world to me. If my family can’t accept them, it’s on them.

It’s freeing to realize that I don’t care anymore. Everything else is meaningless without them. I don’t want to be here. I want to be withthem.

And they don’t need to worry about my family. I won’t let Jasper be in danger. I won’t let anyone say a bad word to Layla. I’ll kill anyone who tries to harm them.

I stand up abruptly, the chair scraping across the hardwood.

“Kerym?” mother asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m leaving,” I say.

“What? Why?” my mother asks, looking alarmed.

“We’re in the middle of dinner, Kerym,” father says. “Sit down.”

“No,” I shake my head. “I can’t stay here. I have to go. I need to make things right with my mate.”

“What?” Everyone bursts out at once, confusion ringing around the table.

“That’s wonderful!” Mother reacts first. “Tell us about her! What’s her name? What’s her caste? Where is her family from?”

“She’s human,” I say, interrupting mother before she can ask more questions. “And we have a son together.”

The entire table seems to freeze, everyone looking around awkwardly. “Excuse me?” Father says, an angry look on his face.

“Congratulations,” Salnath speaks up, slapping me on the back. “When will we get to meet her?”

“You’re not bringing her around here!” Father jumps in. “No son of mine is going to ruin his life this way. Absolutely not. I forbid it!”

“How dare you!” Something inside of me snaps. “All my life I’ve done everything you ever wanted of me and I was miserable! I met Layla and she made life seem worth living! She’s amazing and incredible and she’s a better person than everyone in this room! No offense, Ursalah,” I say, glancing at her. I don’t know her that well so I don’t mean to lump her with my family.

“And Jasper is my son!” I add. “He’s the most incredible, talented child. You wouldn’t even know because you’re so busy trying to live your perfect lives that you don’t even care to get to know them! Well, I’m leaving. And if any of you try to hurt her, I’ll kill you!” I yell, before storming out.

28

Layla

Even though I sent him to bed early, Jasper wakes up maybe an hour or so later, having a screaming nightmare.

“Daddy gone! Daddy drowneded!” Jasper sobs.

“Daddy isn’t going away forever,” I reassure him, rocking him. “Daddy is gone on business. He’ll come back.”

My heart aches as I try to soothe him back to sleep. He’s still so upset about Kerym leaving and it’s all my fault.

I fucked everything up. My pride got in the way. I thought I was doing the right thing but I can see now that separating Jasper from his father is as much my fault as it is his, and that it could never work keeping them apart like this.

And I don’t want Kerym gone either. I should have gone down to the docks, should have stopped him. I should have begged him to stay.